Abstract

Finger millet is third in its importance with respect to area and production among millets in India after sorghum and pearl millet. Seven female lines were crossed with three testers during rabi 2009- 2010 and the resultant 21 hybrids along with their parents were utilized for variability, correlation and path analysis during kharif, 2010. Estimates of phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) were slightly higher than genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) for all the characters under consideration. The estimates of genotypic variances showed a considerable range of variation for most of the characters. Higher values of PCV and GCV were recorded for iron content, number of fingers per ear head and oderate value of PCV and GCV for the longest finger length, grain protein content and harvest index indicated large extent of genetic variability for these traits in the material. High heritability along with high genetic advance were observed for plant height, number of productive tillers per plant, number of fingers per ear head, longest finger length, grain protein content, harvest index and single plant grain yield, indicating involvement of additive gene action for these traits and phenotypic selection based on these traits in the segregating generations would likely to be more effective. However, the extent of contribution of a particular character to any dependent variable may not be judged from the genetic variation and correlation studies alone. Path analysis on grain yield showed that the harvest index and dry fodder yield had high positive direct effects and this revealed the true relationship of these traits with grain yield. Hence, direct selection for these traits would be rewarding for yield improvement.

Keywords: Finger millet, Correlation, Path analysis, Heritability, Genetic advance, Gene action.